


Peace On Earth, If Only For A Moment

by Trasherrific



Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Brotherhood of Steel (Fallout), Christmas Fluff, Christmas Party, F/M, Fluff, No Plot, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-26
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-02-20 17:11:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 958
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13151211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trasherrific/pseuds/Trasherrific
Summary: The Brotherhood of Steel is the closest thing to the old world that's left, the military structure and might is almost the same. Their desire to keep history intact and preserve America has big picture results, but also smaller ones, like a Christmas Tree in the mess hall and a Christmas Party to celebrate another year of life and love, together.





	Peace On Earth, If Only For A Moment

Eliza stepped off of the Vertibird and gave a small wave to the pilot. She had just returned from clearing out a den of ferals and was understandably exhausted from the effort. It didn't help that she was depressed. Winter was almost nonexistent, another reminder of how the world had been ruined, and this was her first Christmas after the war. The first time that she would have no family or friends to share the holiday with, and knowing why they were not with her made it hurt all the more. She had explored every vault in the area to try and find any clue of who was first admitted, but sadly none of the records she had been able to find mentioned anyone she cared for. She went down to Proctor Ingram to drop off her power armor so it could get fixed up while she rested. She barely acknowledged the salutes of the squires and initiates that she walked past. 

Up to her room she went and once there she simply lay on her bed and wept. She wept for her husband, for her son she never got to raise, for her family destroyed by war. She wept for her friends she had lost and the friend she had been forced to kill only weeks prior. She wept for herself, to be one of so few to know how the world had changed, and to be forced to walk it alone. She heard her door slide open and shot up, quickly wiping at her eyes as she turned to see Arthur standing in her doorway. She stood and saluted, "Elder."

He sighed and stepped into her room, letting the door close behind him. "I think your room is private enough to skip the formalities, Eliza." She nodded and sat back down onto her bed, unable to meet his gaze. He and Nate were very different people, and Nate was 60 years dead, it wasn't cheating. But after what she'd just been crying about, she couldn't help but feel the guilt flow back into her. Arthur sat next to her and held her hand, silent, letting her be the one to start the conversation. For a man so young, who had been raised in such an unloving world, he was surprisingly gentle and caring. She leaned her head against his shoulder. 

"It struck me that Christmas as I knew it will never exist again. That winter may never exist here again, at least not in my lifetime. Things that I took for granted that I will never get to appreciate again."

"We have Christmas."

"Yes but I doubt it's anything like it was. Most people are lucky to have flowing water, the frivolities of Christmas would sound made up to most people."

"Frivolities like putting shiny bulbs and garland on a tree? Or did you mean the rampant consumerism that plagued America?" 

"Both, kinda. There was a weird charm to the consumerism, but I can see now that that was the problem. How did you know about Christmas trees? I doubt many military records would have mentioned them."

He smiled and stood, pulling her up with him. "You'd be surprised what military men value when the world is ending. The Brotherhood does love traditions, after all." He lead her to the mess hall where she saw a tree in the corner of the room. Baubles and garland hung from it, along with little handmade trinkets, wood carvings of the Prydwen and power armor helmets. She looked up and was disappointed to see nothing at the top of the tree. 

"It's beautiful, but it's missing something. The most important part."

"It looks fine to me." His expression dropped a little. He must've been so excited to show her this and here she was critiquing it.

"Don't get me wrong! It's marvelous to see something so authentic and wholesome, but Christmas trees usually have something at the top. A star, or an angel. Something that was meant to guide you... Wait! I have an idea, wait here, I'll be right back" She ran back to her room and took from her desk a small Brotherhood flag on a small wooden rod. She rushed back and removed her wedding ring, putting it onto the top of the tree, the sliding the flag into it so it would be held in place. She smiled at the sight and it struck her how carelessly she removed her wedding ring. Perhaps it was time to move on. Arthur's hand on her should and the little smile he gave her filled her with a feeling she hadn't felt in years, a rush of love and glee and excitement. 

Arthur leaned down towards her ear and whispered. "The flag guides them, but that piece of you? That guides me."

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, hoping she was quick enough to avoid getting caught by the others.

A few hours later everyone had gathered to celebrate together, with wine and treats, and a few songs that had managed to survive, they weren't perfectly intact but they were still there, for the most part. She found Arthur standing by the wall, nursing a beer, content to just observe. "If only we had some mistletoe." She hummed, nudging him.

"I have no idea what that is."

"It was a plant that gave people an excuse to kiss each other."

"We can pretend, can't we? Everyone's been drinking, I've been drinking, if anyone gets upset we have an easy out. And if they don't get upset, well, that's good for us then, isn't it?"

She smiled and leaned up to kiss him, tender and soft, and for just a moment the world felt right again.

**Author's Note:**

> It's Christmas as I write this, and though celebrating it hasn't been that important to me for a few years now, it still makes me incredibly sad that I don't get to spend it with family like I did as a child. My grandparents are gone, my mother and I don't have a very healthy relationship, and I don't have the means to visit my sisters as frequently as I'd like to. So I'm writing this piece to try and get myself out of this downer mood I'm in right now. Maybe if I can boost someone else's spirit, maybe that'll boost my own too.  
> Happy Holidays, and a very merry new year.


End file.
